Throughout 2026, we are cranking up the Tigerland time machine and transporting yellow and black barrackers back to 1966 to relive a pivotal year in Richmond’s history.
Our focus today is on the Tigers’ clash with Footscray in Round 13 of the ’66 season at the Western Oval. Here is the match report that appeared in The Age newspaper, written by Maurice Carr.
"Richmond, in winning by 25 points, bewildered Footscray with a remarkable display of handball at the Western Oval on Saturday.
For much of the game the Bulldogs were the dupes of an accomplished sleight-of-hand performance.
Good handball has been a characteristic of Richmond’s play this season, but on Saturday even coach Tom Hafey was impressed.
He said after the game: “The handball was outstanding. We used it a lot, and it came off nearly every time.”
Economy of time with the strong north wind was the key to Richmond’s victory.
They attacked in swarms, paying little attention to opposition play and showing confidence in their handball. The ball was kept moving at a lively place.
Footscray puts its faith in a more ponderous mark-and-kick game, which squandered its time with the wind.
Bill Barrot, back with Richmond after missing two games through injury, was named as a wingman, but ran free between the half-back line and the forward line.
His opponent Graham Chalmers stayed closer to his position and earned many kicks, but could not compensate for the number of times Barrot gave Richmond the initiative.
With the wind in the first quarter Richmond kicked 6.3 to 1.0, a margin which saw it through the match.
Footscray clearly made a mistake by having David Darcy and Ted Whitten interested spectators at centre half-forward and full-forward respectively in this quarter.
In the third quarter they played loose in defence, but the damage had been done.
There were several fights in the third quarter. These distractions, and the firm resistance of Darcy and Jillard, left the Tigers with only about 15 minutes to make up their scoring quote with the wind.
Rovers Peter Hogan and Kevin Bartlett were very busy during this period and the Tigers were still able to set Footscray a 46-point chase for the last quarter.
Match details
Richmond 6.3 8.5 11.14 11.16 (82)
Footscray 1.0 4.7 4.10 7.15 (57)
Goals – Richmond: Guinane 3, Hogan 3, Bartlett 2, Barrot, Clay, Northey.
Leading possession-winners – Richmond: Gahan 27, Hogan 25, Bartlett 24, Dean 24, Barrot 23.
Best – Richmond: Barrot (best on ground), Bartlett, Hogan, Dean, Gahan, Smith, Strang.
Goals – Footscray: Merrington 2, Bisset, Chalmers, Darcy, Jackman, Whitten.
Leading possession-winners – Footscray: Bisset 22, Darcy 22, Chalmers 18, Jillard 18, McKenzie 18.
Best – Footscray: Darcy, Jillard, Chalmers, Merrington, Pleitner, Bryant.
Attendance: 16,573
